Pittosporum

In a pot up to 1 m in height, further growth is limited by regular pruning.

Growth rate

Pittosporum stems are lengthened annually by several centimeters.

Lifespan

Perennial

Temperature

In summer it should be grown at a moderate temperature. In winter, pittosporum should be kept in a cool and bright room with a temperature of about 50 ° F, only in this case, further normal development and flowering of the plant in summer.

Humidity

Not so important. It is desirable to spray the plant regularly to remove dust from the leaves.

Lighting

Bright diffused light. Especially important is the lighting for variegated forms. Pittosporum can grow in the shade, but the color of its leaves becomes uniformly green. In bright light pittosporum leaves are twisted.

The soil

Ready ground is suitable general purpose, pittosporum is not very picky about the soil. For a soil of own preparation to take: 1 part peat and 1 part garden soil and one part coarse sand. Good drainage is required.

Watering

Water abundantly, once a week in the summer. The soil should dry slightly before the next watering. In winter, water no more often than every 8-12 days, but do not allow complete drying of the soil.

Fertilizer

From spring to autumn liquid balanced fertilizer once a month. It responds well to fertilizing with organic fertilizer.

Reproduction

In the spring it is better to propagate by semi-extruded cuttings about 8 cm long at a soil temperature of 73,4-77 ​​° F. Break off the cutting, cut off the cut with a blade. It is desirable to use hormones, cuttings planted at a depth of 1-2 cm in a mixture of peat and sand. After germination, young plants need to be nipped, then pinch the resulting lateral shoots. It is possible to propagate with seeds that are sown in a bowl, the seedlings dive after the formation of the first pair of leaves.

Bloom

Blossoms in the spring with white fragrant flowers in corymbose inflorescences. In the room conditions fruits rarely mature.

Transfer

In young plants, root systems develop very rapidly, therefore, until the age of three, pittosporum should be transplanted annually into a larger pot. In adult plants, it is sufficient to change the top 5-6 cm soil layer annually.

Features of care

In spring, pruning of stretched shoots is required. The plant can use for bonsai.

Difficulties

Affects spider mites, mealybug. The disappearance of the white spots on the leaves variegated varieties may indicate a lack of light or an excess of nitrogen in the soil. Falling of the lower leaves is a natural process that occurs as the plant grows up. The edges of the leaves dry up, the leaves turn yellow and curl from too bright light (mostly in variegated forms). When there is a lack of lighting, the stems are stretched, and the leaves grow shallow and lighten.